Countdown to campillos: Rotax Winter Cup preview

This weekend sees over 250 drivers heading to Campillos, Spain for the start of the 2020 Rotax European season. As ever, a strong British contingent will be joined by some of Europe’s top drivers

Micro Max

The youngest drivers of the competition, usually provide the best racing. And with 44 driver from over 20 countries, it should be all action. Micro Max is a new class to the UK, just 2 drivers have made the trip over to Campillos. First being Scott Marsh, who will be running with Dan Holland Racing joined by Ollie Wise who is entered as a privateer. Drivers in this class have come as far as Egypt to compete. The best represented country is Finland, with 8 on the grid in Spain.

Junior Max

55 drivers will take to the track in Junior Max, featuring quite a few rookies as well as some drivers pulling double duty with the Iame classes which ran a few weeks ago. The Brits make up 9 of the 55 drivers, with Daniel Guinchard looking to seal the Rotax crown, having missed out on the Iame crown 2 weeks ago. Joining him are rookies like Sam Gornall, who had a solid run in the Mini max class in Britain. Callum Voisin, Aaron Walker, Daniel Armstrong, Marcus Luzio, Harri Reynolds and Mckenzy Creswell will also be heading to Campilios.

It won’t just be the Brits that will be ones to watch, Polish star Oli Pylka had a strong run in Valencia 2 weeks ago. Pylka is also the top driver from last year’s Euro Series on the grid. Lucas Schoenmakers will be looking to get his Junior campaign off to a strong start with a win at the winter cup.

Senior Max

86 drivers. The largest entry of the competition features some of the best drivers from around the world. Looking down the entry list is a whose who of Rotax racing. Names like Euro trophy champion Mathilda Olsson, Junior champion Mike Van Vugt & Elia Galvanin who finished 3rd at the grand finals last year. Then add in Mark Kimber who was part of a Strawberry 1-2-3 with Olsson and the absent Jordan Brown-Nutley at Golden Trophy in Genk to the other 21 Brits in the field, then action is Gaurenteed.

That field of Brits include the likes of Brad Barrett, Charlie Turner, Lewis Gilbert and the Hunter brothers: Kai and Rhys. They are joined by a whole host of rookies including Harley Haughton, Tom Adams Cian Shields and Matthew Higgins who have all shown their pace on home turf. Then add in the fast Juniors of Wilgot Eqdvist and Guilherme De Oliveira, the Seniors is going to be a hard race to call!